Summary
A great opportunity to join the Schools Attendance Support Service within the Education Directorate at Sandwell Council. You will provide comprehensive support to the wider team, including support with organising events, collation of information for partnership meetings and taking minutes at meetings.
Wage
£14,526.20 a year
Training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Thursday, 9.00am - 5.00pm and Friday, 9.00am - 4.30pm.
37 hours a week
Possible start date
Thursday 1 May
Duration
1 year 3 months
Positions available
1
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
* To provide a highly confidential, personal, effective and efficient customer service and administrative service to the Schools Attendance Support Team
* To provide a friendly professional telephone service, receiving and screening messages, redirecting calls where necessary, ensuring calls are returned or deal with the caller personally
* To liaise with internal and external customers to ensure that a high standard of service is always delivered
* Assist with the maintenance of accurate online filing and record keeping systems
* General administrative duties to support the day-to-day functions of the team, including word processing, general and pupil filing, photocopying, incoming/outgoing post etc.
* Assist in the production of management information and statistical reports, e-mails, desktop published documents, spreadsheets, databases and word-processed documents including minutes, letters and reports
* To contribute of the effective and efficient operation of the team.
* Assist with the organisation of events to support the improvement of school attendance across the Local Authority
* Take minutes of meetings as required
Where you’ll work
Freeth Street
Oldbury
B69 3DB
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
JUNIPER TRAINING LIMITED
Your training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Equal to GCSE
Course contents
* Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
* Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications; and/or
* Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
* Depending on your job role and work environment: Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
* Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
* Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
* Demonstrate patience and calmness.
* Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
* Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
* Maintain informative communication during service recovery.
Your training plan
Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard:
* The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace, as you will receive visits from a college assessor
* The apprenticeship will also include a proportion of 20% off the job training and a robust programme of Mandatory Apprentice Training provided by Sandwell Council to include Workplace Professionalism and Equality & Diversity
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English Language (grade 4-9)
* Maths (grade 4-9)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* IT skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Customer care skills
* Problem solving skills
* Presentation skills
* Administrative skills
* Analytical skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Creative
* Initiative
* Non judgemental
* Patience
* Adhere to data protection
* Professionalism
* Confidentiality
Other requirements
*Proof of qualification certificates will be required upon application* Initially this post requires the apprentice to work in the office 5 days a week; following successful training and having met the competencies required to do the role with minimum support, working from home for part of the week will be offered.